March 25, 2008 - The Coca-Cola Company, organizer of the Olympic torch relay leading up to this summer's Games in Beijing, has chosen environmental stewardship as its theme for the high-profile quadrennial run.

The relay, which kicked off yesterday in Greece, will highlight the "roles people can play in improving the quality of life in their communities," the company says. “Environmental champions” selected to carry the Olympic flame include South Korean environmental leader Yul Choi, Peruvian environmental activist W. Luis Bartra, and Turkish coastal management expert Filiz Demirayak, the director general of WWF-Turkey.

The green-themed relay is designed to reflect Coke's own sustainability focus, according to Scott McCune, Coke's VP of worldwide sports, entertainment, and licensing. "Through the Olympic torch relay, we hope to raise awareness and promote greater participation in activities such as local water programs, community recycling, and energy conservation – efforts that mirror what Coca-Cola seeks to do on a broad scale, as part of our goal to support sustainable communities wherever we do business,” he says.

Coke recently kicked off a $10 million marketing campaign highlighting the company's "mental, physical, community, and environmental perspective" on doing business.